Sergio Perez’s father sheds light on crucial Helmut Marko mentorship amidst Mexican GP nightmare

The year 2023 began auspiciously for Sergio Perez. However, even after winning two of the opening four races in Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan, he soon found himself trapped in a series of setbacks, with his most recent retirement occurring at the Mexican Grand Prix due to a disastrous crash.

Despite Checo’s consecutive blunders in the races, his father continued to shower him with praise, attributing his success to Helmut Marko’s mentorship over the past few years.

Perez’s father credits Marko as key influence

Sergio Perez is at risk of losing his second position in the Drivers’ Standings with 240 points to Lewis Hamilton, who is just 20 points behind the Mexican driver with three races remaining.

There were rumors of Daniel Ricciardo possibly replacing Checo due to his impressive comebacks at both the US and Mexican Grand Prix. However, Sergio Perez’s father has dismissed these speculations, insisting that his son will continue as a Red Bull driver in the next season.

Perez Sr. also expressed his appreciation for Helmut Marko’s role in his son’s successful career. At the Italian Grand Prix, Marko was involved in a controversy when he attributed Perez’s struggles to his background, but he later personally apologized for his comments.

Despite the controversy, Perez’s father credited his son’s improvement and success to Marko’s mentorship. He told Sky Italia, “How do I see [Checo] on the weekend of his home grand prix? He always has the same approach and only needs one thing  to win.”

“He has the mentality of a Champion. Checo, Verstappen and Red Bull are a family, but they all work for success. He [Marko] is the best teacher for Sergio.”

Sergio Perez exits Mexican GP after lap 1 crash

Perez experienced his second withdrawal from competition within four races at his home event on Sunday, exiting the race in the opening corner following a collision with Ferrari’s driver, Charles Leclerc.

The Mexican driver had initially started from the fifth position and attempted to utilize the airflow of the car alongside Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc as they approached Turn 1. However, before reaching the corner, his car made contact with the Ferrari, causing the Red Bull car to go airborne and off the circuit.

Nevertheless, after Perez returned to the pit, the team made the decision to pull the car back into the garage due to its critical condition, resulting in Checo’s ultimate retirement from the race.

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